Silence
by PasareMica
Summary: "What's wrong?" Damian tried this time. "Everything, nothing. Has anything ever been right? Or is it all wrong? So wrong that it's right. That could be it. Everything is so wrong that by default it becomes right." *One-Shot*


Dick walked through the manor with a sigh. It was quite. Too quite. He could handle being along easily, but silence. That was something different. Silence spoke louder than any words. He could hear all the accusing words, the insults, lies and truth. It was all there in the silence. Every truth was pulled from the lies, speaking louder.

'Joker should be dead. He's killed to much.'

'You should do it. You could easily get it done, no one would tell. Not even Bruce.'

'Jason doesn't really hate you, he hates what you are. You're far from the good little Solider like Tim, but you aren't a stubborn one lie Damian.'

'Barbra shouldn't be doing this. You should tell Jim, before she gets herself killed.'

Dick shooed the words away. He didn't need the truth right now, he needed his family. That gave Dick a thought. A surprise party for the family. Everyone in the bat family along with their family, though Barbra was really the only one else with a family. It didn't matter. Dick smiled happily as he planned the party.

A week later and everything was ready. Dick had it all set up. He had called and everyone was coming, even Jason. With a smile Dick finished minor details before getting ready. As he entered the main hall he saw everyone there.

"Hi!" he greeted happily. Cassandra smiled in greeting while Stephanie gave him a hug. Barbra came over with her parents. When Dick saw Jason his grin widened and he pretty much tackle hugged the other.

"You actually came!" He was slightly muffled.

"Yeah yeah, now get off." Jason pushed him off.

"Well come on, everything is in the dinning room." Dick led everyone to where all the food was set up. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the meal. The chatter flowed through, covering the silence. He missed the worried glances from Tim or the long stares of Damian, and the never wavering gaze of Jason. A slam of hands on the table shocked everyone to silence. Jason was standing glaring at Dick.

"Jason." Cassandra was the first to speak.

"I've had enough! What the HELL is wrong with you?" demanded Jason, rage rolling off of him.

"Jason, your seeing things." Barbra started this time.

"First off no I'm not, Tim and Damian noticed it too, second, Shut the fuck up." Jim and Barbra gave Jason matching glares.

"Jason." Snapped Bruce in a warning tone.

"Though I disagree with his methods, Jason is right father. Richard has not been acting normal." Dick never said a word, just watching and listening.

"Dad… I saw it too." Tim admitted. All eyes were on Dick now. The looks varied, concern, worry, fear, anger and curiosity.

"Now that we established I'm not lying," seethed Jason, "What the fuck is wrong?" Dick raised a brow and smiled.

"I'm fine, really. I'm just glad everyone's here." Suddenly Alfred rushed into the room.

"What is it Alfred?" Bruce asked worried.

"It seems someone has killed the Joker." Silence greeted the news.

"What?" Stephanie yelled in shock.

"Are you sure it wasn't an attempt?" came Barbra.

"Or faked?" Cassandra came in.

"I wondered how long it would take for someone to kill him." Damien commented lightly.

"What did you do?" Tim asked Jason, most of the bat family looked over to him, causing Jim and his wife to look on in confusion.

"Hey! I didn't kill him!"

"How do we know?" Damian questioned. Jason rolled his eyes before looking at them.

"Because you little hell spawn, I've been stuck in bed for two fucking weeks, courteously of the sawn queen."

"Don't call me that!" Interrupted Tim

"Ask Dick. The annoying pest he is deemed to come over every fucking day." Dick nodded in agreement.

"Why would Jason kill Joker?" Jim asked with narrowed eyes. Everyone froze, unsure of how to respond. Bruce sighed and rubbed his head.

"You want the truth?" Jason asked, eerily calm. Jim stared into the green eyes, unsure if he really wanted to know but he gave a nod.

"Because the Joker killed me. He beat me with a crowbar and blew the warehouse up. If it wasn't for Damian's mom, I would still be six feet under." Jason stated with an eerie calm. Jim stared at the boy before surveying the rest to see the truth.

Later Jim reached into his pocket and in shock pulled out an envelope.

"What is it Daddy?" Barbra asked. Jim slowly opened it. His eyes widened and he should it to his wife before turning to Barbra.

"You're Batgirl?" Barbra froze, a barley audible voice.

"What?" Jim held out all the photos and a note stating that Barbra had always been Batgirl.

"How could you? You could have died!" Jim shouted. Dick noticed everyone distracted so that's when he took the opportunity to slip out.

He lay on the roof staring at the stars. Dick didn't move as he heard the others.

"How could you?" Barbra demanded. Dick didn't respond. Blue eyes looked to see Jim with the others. His wife must have left or was with Alfred. He just looked back up.

"Answer me!" It didn't seem to sink in what Barbra said.

"Did you ever notice how loud silence is?" Dick asked instead.

"What?"

"What are you doing?" demanded Bruce

"Dick, you aren't making sense." Tim tried. A shark like smile appeared.

"Nothing ever does. We try to make sense and laws to govern ourselves. Morals, proper behavior, it's all just a lie to try and separate ourselves from animals, just because we're 'intelligent'. It's all a huge joke." Dick said with his ever-present cheerfulness. But… it was dark.

"Dick… you're scaring me." Stephanie tentivly says but Dick doesn't seem to hear her.

"Too much too early or too little too late?" Dick asked this time, talking to himself.

"What's wrong?" Damian tried this time.

"Everything, nothing. Has anything ever been right? Or is it all wrong? So wrong that it's right. That could be it. Everything is so wrong that by default it becomes right."

"Dick. Answer me, what are you doing?" Bruce pleaded. No answer, just like with Barbra and Stephanie.

"Dick, please. You are not making sense." It was Cassandra's turn as she stressed the word 'sense' and again nothing but silence.

"Dick, tell me about the silence." Jason ordered as he sat down next to his brother.

"It's everywhere. It shouts so loudly. It repeats everything but screams the truth, lies are whispers behind it. It was nice when it was all lies, I can hear over the lies. The truth is too loud. I haven't been able to hear."

"How is it that you can hear, Tim, Damian and I? Explain."

"Your voices. It quiets the silence. I'm glad I can still hear you guys still. Everyone else I lost the ability to hear years ago, one by one. My friends, Stephanie, Cassandra, Barbra, Alfred then Bruce. It's all silent. I can't even hear music or T.V. over it anymore. You guys still have loud voices so I can hear you guys s clear as day." A frown appeared on Dick's face.

"I don't like the silence. It speaks more and more. It doesn't even stop at night anymore." A grin reappeared as he turned to face Jason, a laugh escaped.

"Dick?" Tim asked.

"I think I'm losing it. No I have lost it. It's all gone now. Or maybe it's all there and that's what's causing this."

"Dick, this joke isn't funny." Pleaded Barbra, but Dick honestly didn't hear her.

"But… we've spoken."

"How is it you've dealt with this?" Damian asked. Dick looked to the youngest with a raised brow.

"You know I can read lips." Dick sighed letting the smile slip off. He was lost in his thoughts as he stared up at the stars.

"…Dick?" came Tim's tentive question. Dick looked over before looking back up to show he was listening.

"Can…can you hear yourself? You said you hear Damian, Jason and I but nothing else." A sad smile appeared on Dick's face.

"No. I know what I'm saying but I can't hear a word of it." Jason ran his hand through the elder bird's hair in silent comfort. A realization dawned on Jason. With a deep breath he looked to a stricken Bruce who Jim was trying to help as well as his own daughter.

"Bruce?" Once he had the man's attention he quickly asked, "Can I move back in?" The silence was tense and Dick was looking at him with wide hopeful eyes, a little afraid that Jason was joking. Bruce studied Jason for a moment.

"Joker's dead." Tim stated, pointing out that the main reason for Jason was finally dead. Bruce looked to Damian who gave a nod.

"Welcome home." Bruce said with a smile, which Jason gave a slight one back. He started stroking Dick's hair again.

"What did he say?" Dick asked with hesitant hope. Jason ruffled Dick's hair and gave a smirk.

"You're going to have to get used to more arguing." Dick's eyes lit up. A grin graced his face.

"I'm glad."

Bruce watched as Jason talked to Dick as he sat at the end of the bed. Damian was curled up next to Dick while Tim sat in the desk chair right next to the bed. Slowly shutting the door and headed where the remaining five waited. Stephanie and Barbra were comforting each other while Cassandra just stared into the fire. Jim and Alfred just stood there with blank expressions.

"How could I not see it?" Bruce asked as he sat down, hiding his face into his hands.

"There wasn't anything that gave it away." Barbra stated.

"How has he been able to do patrol if he can't hear?" Stephanie asked, forgetting Jim didn't know their involvement.

"What?" Jim asked looking over in shock. Bruce sighed.

"Jim, Dick is Nightwing, or was. He won't be able to patrol if he can only hear his brothers. Hopefully he'll understand."

"Anyone else here who's a vigilante?" Jim asked.

"Sorry, can't tell you that dad." Barbra said with a small smile. Jim knew though. It was obvious in certain traits that they each had. He would never say that he knew or tell anyone else. Besides they had more pressing matters, like what to do about Richard and finding out who killed Joker.

Dick gently stroked Damian's hair. Tim had moved to his other side and passed out not long after. Now it was just he and Jason up.

"Why did you do it?" Jason asked, "Tell Jim about Babs?" Dick looked Jason straight in the eyes. After a few moments Dick answered.

"He has the right to know, it's better to tell him while she's still alive rather than when she's being put into the ground." Jason nodded and lent against the wall. He stretched his legs so that they over lapped Dick's.

"So who do you think killed Joker?" Jason's tone spoke how he wasn't sure to be happy or mad. It was quite before Dick asked,

"Can you keep a secret?" Jason nodded. The answer he received caused him to stare at his brother in shock.

"I did."

"You? Why? How?" Dick looked at the covers of his bed.

"Yeah, I don't really remember how, it's all a bit of a blur honestly. I couldn't stand letting it go by anymore. He killed you, tried killing Timmy and Damian. He killed so many, so much blood everywhere. I'm surprised that the town isn't stand red, granted with how many times the buildings are blown up nothing lasts forever. I… felt… happy when I set everything up. I had gone to him, told him I was going to kill him. I don't think he believed me or maybe he did and that was why he laughed. I don't know anymore. I don't regret it for one minute… Jason I want you to take over Nightwing. I won't be able to; Bruce won't let me since I can't hear. This way, if you want, you can re-join the hero business." Jason could see the look in Dick's eyes. Dick really wanted him to take over.

"Okay, yeah I'll be Nightwing for you." Jason promised. The smile Dick gave was just as bright and happy, so full of life, just like the one he gave when Bruce welcomed Jason back.

"Promise you'll keep them safe?" Dick referred to the family, mostly the younger two curled up next to him.

"I promise, now get to sleep." Jason ordered. Dick didn't need to be told twice as he fell into a deep sleep. Jason stayed up watching the rest of the night. Thoughts of Dick floating through his head, occasionally he thought of Dick killing Joker but that was at the back of his head.

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**A.N: Yeah I don't even know. I was really out of it when I wrote this, or I think I was. It's kind of a blur.**


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